Implementing a LIMS Solution in a Multi-Lab, Multi-Workflow Environment

Introduction

The Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases (CCID) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is implementing an enterprise LIMS to support standardized testing in laboratories situated across four National Centers.  Originally, over 90 individual laboratories were self-defined for implementation within the National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID), prior to reorganization of CDC.  CCID laboratory workflows range from simple (single team with a single workflow) to complex (multiple teams, labs, and distinct workflows).

Key objectives of the project include the following:  1) ensuring a common identifier for each specimen and associated aliquots across laboratories; 2) establishing system-level specimen tracking; 3) enabling collaborative review of data from multiple labs during public health event response; 4) supporting common vocabulary and HL7 messaging standards; 5) enhancing report generation and delivery, data retrieval, and traceability; and 6) meeting laboratory quality regulatory and standards requirements.

Challenges

The project faces several challenges including:  1) providing the same information management capabilities currently available in existing independent systems; 2) maintaining operational independence of each laboratory while sustaining enterprise system requirements; 3) coordinating requirements-gathering for global functionality; 4) supporting the business processes and unique workflows of over 90 laboratories via a single application; 5) identifying appropriate LIMS units based on information management needs rather than organizational divisions; and 6) supporting internal variations in terminology while supporting external messaging and vocabulary standards.

Solution

By identifying and addressing actionable functionality gaps to meet the needs of CCID, an enterprise LIMS framework has been developed and deployed based on out-of-the-box STARLIMS v.9.  The system can support multiple laboratories with multiple workflows and provides system-wide specimen/sample identification and traceability. Furthermore, the system enables CCID level data sharing and review while adhering to data accessibility policies.  Lab-specific configuration supports tests, specimens, interfaces, and ad-hoc data and functionality.